New street signs will slow traffic near Peabody church intersection
"I don't ever want to be called to an accident involving a child getting hit," said Peabody Police Chief Jeff Pohlman. "But we figured it would happen one of these days at Third and Sycamore if something didn't change."
Pohlman has announced a change in the speed at which traffic may travel within a block of the intersection adjacent to Peabody United Methodist Church.
The church is the site of Sunshine Preschool which conducts classes five mornings a week. The intersection also is a popular cross-walk area for elementary school students walking to and from their homes on the west side of Peabody.
Pohlman cites several accidents, including one involving a school bus, because of cars traveling too fast.
"About a year ago a bus going north on Sycamore was broadsided at that intersection," he said. "There have been other accidents and we get numerous complaints about people speeding through the area."
Currently the speed zone is typical for a residential area — 30 miles per hour. The city will install signs reducing the speed limit to 15 miles per hour for a block in each direction of the intersection.
"And we WILL be enforcing it," Pohlman added. "This is everyone's warning. We won't be issuing many warning tickets once the signs go up.
"It will be the public's responsibility to know the speed limit and obey it," he said.
Pohlman expects the signs to be installed in the next few weeks.
